The madness that is Love
by SLO1OLC
Summary: D'Artagnan has been happily married to his wife Laura for seven years. When he gets a new job with the national elite security service named the Musketeers, he meets his old school friend Constance. Love flares between the long lost friends and soon D'Artagnan finds himself having to choose between the two women he loves. Modern AU
1. Chapter 1

The irritating beeping of the alarm awoke Laura from her fitful sleep. Squinting at the time on her phone, Laura threw away the covers and blearily hobbled into the bathroom.

The shower for Laura had always been a place of contemplation, it was where she had contemplated marrying D'Artagnan, contemplated how to tell him that she was pregnant with their child. But most recently it was where she had wondered how to comfort her grieving husband over the death of his father.

It had been horrendous, a wonderful life ended by a group of muggers who just wanted his money. D'Artagnan had been heartbroken and had detached himself from her and the rest of his life. He'd lost his job as a consequence and in the past few weeks she'd felt like she was losing him too.

She let the scolding hot water run down her bare skin, the soap stinging her eyes. Laura got out of the shower, she took a look at herself. Wet hair, wet skint, bags under her eyes, she looked awful.

After she'd dried herself off, she went back into their bedroom. It was her favourite room in the house. The bed was positioned in the middle of the room, the white wooden floor boards were shining in the morning sun, the large window to the left of the bed, was open and letting in a warm summer breeze. The white curtains danced in the wind, and there she saw d'art, all tanned skin, and toned muscle. A small sun tattoo on his left arm, and on his back, a tattoo saying 'dad'. His brown hair was messy and he looked peaceful for once. Smiling to herself, she opened the wardrobes and grabbed her white shirt, some blue trousers, and a pair of red heels.

She came out of the bedroom, onto the landing, quickly walking towards the kid's room. Five years ago they had born two wonderful boys into the world. One named Alex and the other one named, Gabriel. Both named after their fathers. She remembered d'art's face when he'd seen the twins for the first time. They looked just like him, brown eyes, and brown hair. Alex was smaller like her, and Gabe was more like his father, tall and handsome.

She opened the door to their room, the sight she saw made her smile, Alex had climbed into Gabe's bed and they were curled together, their tiger Pyjamas thrown on the floor, and the window wide open. They must've been hot, she thought. Laura always loved summer in Paris, the flowers, the blue skies, she never thought it was hot, maybe because she'd been brought up in southern France where in summer it was stifling. D'artagnan had been brought up in Montreal in Canada and so was more accustomed to the cold than she was, and consequently moaned about the hotness of summer everyday, all day in the summer months.

Having woken them up, washed them and got them dressed, Laura was standing in the kitchen, making pancakes, it was the only thing the boys ate for breakfast, she wasn't happy about it and her and d'artagnan had tried their best to get them to eat something else, but it was in vain, they simply threw it on the floor or didn't eat it. So pancakes with peaches it was. Having given the twins their breakfast, she made her way back up the stairs, to their room.

"D'art, time to wake up babe", she whispered in his ear. A small groan escaped him and he turned to face her. "Hey" he murmured. She threw a towel at him and pointed to the shower, he gave her a small smile and motioned for her to follow him.

"Sorry, already had mine, I've got to drop the twins off at nursery soon" she said, the smile drifted off his face and he mumbled something incoherent as he neared the ensuite. Sighing she grabbed her bag and called for the twins to get their shoes on.

Laura shouted a goodbye to d'art when she shut the door. She hustled the kids into the car and got in herself. "Seatbelts on" she said, with a smile. As she drove through the neighbourhood, she remembered the old flat they used to live in, they'd recently moved to the four bedroom townhouse, after the flat they were living in got too small, but also d'art had been given his fathers inheritance from Canada and had placed a deposit on the house, claiming that there was a good school nearby and the hospital which she worked at was close too, but she really knew he bought it because it looked the same to his fathers house in Canada and a small part of her knew that d'art wanted to be like his father.

When she parked her car outside the hospital, she sent a quick text to d'art, 'good luck with your interview today xxx L". Locking the doors she walked into the hospital, wondering who'd she treat today.

D'artagnan got out of the shower just in time to hear Laura shout goodbye, he walked over to the window in the bedroom to watch Laura hustle the kids into the car and drive off. She'd taken the Aldi so he'd have to take the Mercedes. He hated that car, it reminded him of his old job. It was the company car, but they'd said he could keep the car as a token of appreciation, but he knew that was bullshit.

He had an interview today, so he grabbed his best black trousers, a black tie, and a white shirt. Brushing imaginary dust off his shoulders he walked downstairs, to find two empty plates on the island and a note in the fridge for him to buy some more milk and peaches from Laura. The peaches must be for the twins, that's all they ate for breakfast, it made him laugh when he thought about how riled up Laura would get when they refused toast, or cereal. It was a mystery and it would always be. Grabbing a pack of breakfast biscuits from the draw, he picked up his bag with his wallet and keys in, and made his way out of the house.

—

Athos was having a bad day, he'd woken up with a splitting headache and to make matters worse Aramis and Porthos were very loud when they were getting ready for work this morning.

After having a very cold shower because all the hot water had been used up, he put on a clean white shirt, black trousers and slung his gun holder over both shoulders and placed a newly pressed black jacket on over his shirt, he hooked his badge on the side of his belt, and made his way downstairs.

That was where he found Aramis making pancakes and Porthos reading a file on a man called D'Artagnan.

"Who's that?" He asked to Porthos whilst getting some coffee from the machine.

"His name is D'Artagnan, well Charles D'Artagnan to be frank, he's the interviewee this morning." Porthos said with a raised eyebrow, usually Athos remembered these things.

"Shit, of course, the guy who might become our fourth." Athos remembered. Athos made his way round to Porthos and read over his shoulder. Apparently this guy had served two tours of Afghanistan and after leaving had gone into marketing. He was married and had two boys, both five years old. His mother was dead and his father was recently murdered.

"Sounds like an interesting guy, but his father only died like three months ago" Athos mentioned.

"Some people take years to recover from a death of a loved one or sometimes they take weeks, it depends on the person" Aramis piped up. He then turned around and slid two plates of pancakes their way, Porthos ate like a man possessed and Athos nibbled gently at his, to be honest he wasn't at all hungry, but pancakes were the only thing Aramis could cook, so he ate them with gratefulness that they weren't burnt or undercooked.

When they all arrived at work in Athos's car, or taxi as Aramis liked to call it, they saw Captain Treville waiting at the entrance for them. "You're late" Treville said as the approached him, "very well follow me" he said again, they obliged and followed him through the many corridors and up many flights of stairs until they arrived in an interview room, with the man named D'artganan.

He looked nothing like the photo in his file, he was more muscular, he looked tired and yet peaceful. But he looked old for his age, maybe that was kids for you. He didn't know.

"Hi, my name is Detective Inspector Aramis for the national security service Code named the musketeers, you must be Mr Charles D'artagnan." Aramis extended his hand to the man, he returned the gesture.

"So lets get started, tell me a bit about yourself D'Artagnan" Porthos asked.

At this the man seemed to relax and he started to tell them about how he was born in Canada, but he moved to Paris when he was eighteen, that was where he met his wife, who was called Laura. They got married when they were twenty one and two years later they welcomed twin boys into the world. He established that the twins were both five years old and went to nursery. He then went on to talk about his army years, he joined when he was sixteen and left when he was twenty six, he was with the Canadian French army for ten years and when he left he went into marketing. But after his fathers unfortunate death he lost his job, moved house and has been job searching ever since.

Athos then explained that the reason they were interested was because not only did he work for the army for ten years, he also left and so his immediate practices had be been toned down a notch for practical purposes. They explained that they didn't want someone fresh from the field as they would be keen to show off and they know from experience that showing off leads to deaths and injuries.

The interview ended and D'Artagnan made his way out of the building. Athos stood there for a while watching the man walk to the Mercedes and drive off. He was a nice guy, but he was troubled, they could all tell that he didn't want his wife to know and that he was hiding it from her. Aramis walked towards him and gave him a pat on the back, "well done mi amigo, I think we may have found our fourth" Aramis said, smiling with glee.

"What do you think Athos, is he good enough?" Porthos said coming to his other side.

Athos sighed, "yes I think he's good enough, he'll fit right in with the right training, he could become one of our best men" Athos said.

As the other two walked towards his car, Athos made a mental note to call d'artganan and let him know the good news.

—

Laura got home and precisely eight o clock, when she entered the house, she kicked off her heels, threw down her bag, pulled her hair out it's tight bun, untucked her shirt, and poured herself a huge glass of wine. After drinking half the glass, she slid open the sliding doors from the kitchen to the lounge and there she saw d'art asleep on the sofa with the twins, the tv was playing toy story and she quietly turned the tv off, snapped a quick photo, and placed a blanket on them all.

Pulling the doors too, she sat at the island under the dim light of the lamp on the side, she checked her emails, payed any bills and ate a ready made curry from the fridge. When she looked at the clock it was ten o clock.

Swearing she entered the lounge to find d'art wiggling out of the pile of legs and arms, "hey, do you need some help?" She asked.

"Yeah please, take Alex and I'll take Gabe." He instructed, she nodded and picked Alex up, when there was a knock at the door, "I'll get it" she said.

Laura shifted Alex onto her hip, and placed his head on her shoulder, she opened the door to find three men standing on the steps, the one at the front was very well dressed and had piercing blue eyes, the one behind him was very handsome and he looked Spanish, he smiled at the sight of Alex asleep on her shoulder, the man the the left of the handsome one was tall, muscular and he had a beaming smile, she would've been scared if it wasn't for that lovely smile. "Can I help gentleman" she asked, "yes, we're looking for your husband, Charles" the man at the front said.

Laura swung around, "d'art, there are three men here looking for you" she shouted, she swung back around and gave a small smile, "I'm Athos by the way, Mrs D'Artagnan' the man at the front said. She gave another smile and then suddenly D'art was by her side, holding Gabe.

"Athos, Porthos, Aramis, can I help you three" D'art said with a smile.

"Yes, could we come in, we didn't mean to disturb you both at this time, it was just your weren't answering your phone." Aramis said.

After placing the twins in bed, Laura went into the kitchen to grab four coffees, she placed them in the tray and opened the sliding doors. She put the tray on the table in the middle, gave them all a smile, kissed D'art on the forehead and whispered that she was going to bed. "Goodnight gentleman" she said and closed the door behind her.

Laura sat at the edge of the bed, waiting for D'art to come to bed, it was eleven o'clock on a Friday evening. Sighing she swung her legs into bed and closed her eyes.

—

D'artagnan had got the job, he accepted it with a cheerful smile and offered the men any drinks, they politely declined and he showed them out of the house. "We'll see you on Monday then D'art" Aramis said with a smile.

He laughed at the use of the nickname Laura gave him, "yeah see you on Monday" he waved and shut the door behind him. He locked up, turned the lights off, washed up the cups and made his way to his bedroom. The door was slightly ajar and he saw that Laura was fast asleep curled up in a ball, the sheets kicked off her legs onto the floor. Smiling he placed the sheets over he legs up to her hips, undressed and quietly slid into bed, placing his arm around her middle he fell fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

D'artagnan had been with the musketeers for almost a month now, and honestly he couldn't of imagined his life without it. Athos, Porthos and Aramis had become something to him that was beyond friendship, and together they had healed D'Artagnan in a way that Laura never could.

He was nervous, it was the first time since the night he'd got the job, that the three men he'd come to call brothers were coming over for dinner. Laura was busy cooking in the kitchen, the boys watching tv and he was in his and Laura's bedroom, getting ready.

He'd picked out three shirts, a blue one, a white one and a black one. He'd tried them all on a million times, and he just couldn't decide, he decided to ask Laura later. So for now he put on a white t- shirt and made his way downstairs to help Laura.

D'Artagnan thought that their relationship had become much better since he'd got his job, in the past few months their relationship had gone through immense strain but, ever since he'd got the job, D'artagnan had felt happier and that had reflected at home. It was now a happy place.

As he entered the kitchen, the aroma of Laura's Italian cooking filled his nostrils, her mother was Italian so she'd brought up Laura to be able to cook the nicest pasta and pizzas he'd ever tried, "smells nice, what is it?" D'Artagnan asked.

Laura turned around and smiled, "it's meatballs with tagliatelle" she replied, "do you remember I made it when you first came over to my flat, when we were first dating" she also said. That made him laugh, it seemed like only yesterday they were getting married just before he went back to Afghanistan.

"Yeah I remember" D'artganan said, he then walked to her, and placed his arms around her middle, and placed his finger in the sauce; she swatted his hand away and turned around to face him, so now his hands were around her waist, "don't dip in the sauce please" Laura said with a small laugh, she then went up on her tiptoes and kissed him hard on the lips, and then proceeded to push him away and carry on cooking.

D'artganan walked back upstairs and grabbed the black shirt and put it on, it was the one he wore to their first date, he rubbed some aftershave on his neck, put his smart shoes on and called the boys, he needed to give them baths and get them dressed.

They came running up the stairs, and into the bathroom, the hot water was already running, so D'Artagnan undressed them and placed them both in the bath. Alex then proceeded to throw water at Gabe, who then threw more water until they were all soaked, D'Artagnan and all.

After finally washing them and dressing them in matching jeans and shirts, he picked them both up and carried them downstairs, "I wish you wouldn't carry them everywhere, they are five, they need to learn to use their legs babe" he heard Laura shout from the kitchen, sighing, he put the twins down and told them to go and watch tv.

Just then there was a knock at the door, sighing because his shirt was completely soaked from washing the twins and that he wouldn't have time to change, he answered the door, to find three very finely dressed men standing on his steps.

After welcoming them in, he proceeded to offer them drinks, Porthos a beer, Aramis and gin and tonic and Athos a red wine.

"Alex, Gabe, come and meet my friends" D'artganan asked the twins. Both boys came timidly out of the lounge and into the hallway where they were all standing. The boys were never shy, it made D'artganan smile to think that they could be.

Aramis smiled at the two boys, standing in the hall, both dressed immaculately and with wet hair, he knelt down in front of them both and introduced himself. The slightly taller one said his name was Gabe, and the smaller one said his name was Alexandre.

Laura walked into the hall to find, D'artganan soaking wet laughing with Porthos, the twins talking with Aramis and Athos standing there in the midst of this looking slightly awkward, she walked over to him, smoothing down her black dress, which she had got as birthday present from D'art, she walked over to Athos, "you seem out of depths," she said with a smile, Athos turned towards her, his blue eyes seemed like they were peering through her soul.

"I am of sorts, I never know what to say to children, I'm not as charming as Aramis" he said, Laura seemed to get the notion, that the man held many secrets, he was reserved, that he had built up hard walls around himself.

"Why don't you come into the kitchen and have a look at the wine" she said, guiding him to the kitchen.

Athos followed Laura into the kitchen, their house was very nice, it had a Victorian feel to it. The hall had a dark wooden floor, half of the walls were white wood, and the other half was an olive green, multiple photographs of the family were scattered around the walls, towards the end of the hall just after the entrance to the kitchen was a sixties looking chest with more photographs and a huge vase of lilies on it.

The kitchen was even better, olive green cupboard with marble worktops, open shelving with plates and cups on, in the centre of the kitchen was an island, with two stools tucked under the worktop. A huge tub of crayons was in the centre and many, many pieces of paper with colourful scribbles on them littered the island. A huge window overlooked the neighbours garden and Athos noticed sliding doors into the lounge, in which was a grey corner sofa, which looked equally as comfortable as it did elegant, a flat screen tv on the wall, an open fire with exposed brick, and a bay window which had been turned into a sitting area. Books littered the alcoves in the walls, and still there were boxes sitting around the lounge, he could still hear the laughter of the guests in the hall.

It was a family home, no doubt, it had a homely feel and it relaxed Athos, he lead a stressful life, and it was nice to come some where that didn't have a tense atmosphere. Laura handed him a glass of red vintage which he accepted gratefully and she then proceeded to check in the food, which smelt divine. Just then he heard Aramis calling for him.

Athos left Laura in the kitchen and made his way through to the lounge, in which the twins were sitting in the bay window, busy reading a picture book, squabbling over who read it and who looked at the pictures, Porthos was sitting in a very low chair, which Aramis was taking great entertainment out of, porthos's legs were flat in the floor and armáis was busy taking pictures of his friend with his phone. He noticed that D'artganan was nowhere to be seen.

Athos peered into the kitchen, d'art wasn't there, so he went into the hall, he wasn't there either, he checked the dining room, and the conservatory, even the play room. He wasn't downstairs, so Athos removed his shoes, carefully placed them at the side of the stairs, and made his way up the stairs, being careful not to knock the pictures on the wall, when he reached the landing, he was welcomed with five doors. Great he thought. He had a one in five chance of finding his friend.

Deciding to go in a clockwise fashion, he started with the door directly in front of him. Turning the cold brass knob, he entered what looked like the master bedroom. White floorboards, a brass bead, a huge window, which was open, the white curtains blowing around in the evening wind, he walked further into the bedroom and their he found, two more doors, he opened the one on the left, and to his surprise he found a closet. And in the centre of this room was D'Artagnan, he was changing his shirt.

"There you are, I've been looking for you" Athos said, the man turned around at his voice. His hair was slicked back and it looked like he had quickly shaved too. "Sorry, I was changing my shirt, it got quite wet when I was washing the twins, they like to throw water" D'art said with a small laugh. That did make Athos smile, an image of D'artganan kneeling in a bathroom getting soaked as two very young boys threw water at each other popped into his head, but it left as quick as it had entered, as a call from Laura signalled that dinner was ready.

Laura had seen Athos go upstairs to find d'art, she wasn't surprised, it seemed that him and d'art had formed a close relationship in the month since he had joined. Laura took and sip of her gin, and then reached down to collect the plates from the oven, she plated up seven portions of her mother's meatball recipe and then called for everyone to make their way towards the dinning room. She heard hurried footsteps from upstairs and the lounge all making their way towards the dinning area.

Aramis really liked this house, it was homely and relaxing. It reminded him of his mother's house, in which he'd grown up with three sisters, his father had died young and so his sisters had really brought him up as the death of his father, had broken his mother completely. And soon after his death, no one was allowed to mention his father as it was too hard for his mother to comprehend. But this house reminded him of when his father was alive, the warmth and the calmness was something he sorely missed. As he made his way into the dinning area he noticed a picture of Laura nd D'art's wedding. She looked beautiful, a simple white dress with a small lace trail, her hair was bundled up into a curled bun and she held a bouquet of lilies, as she peered into the eyes of her new husband. D'art looked very handsome in his army uniform, god they were young when they got married. Maybe it was D'art's army career that had instigated the lust to get married and have children.

Aramis's thoughts were interrupted by Laura walking into the room holding three plates of lovely looking food, she placed the two smaller ones to her sons, and the third to Athos, she then hurried back into the kitchen to get three more, which she gave to her husband, Porthos and himself, finally she hurried back to retrieve hers, which she brought and placed next to d'art, she then sat down and ordered everyone to say cheers.

D'artganan watched his wife, serve the food, god she looked beautiful, all he wanted to do was kiss her and take her up to bed, but they had guests so he patiently waited for her to sit down, he then placed his hand on her thigh and mouthed I love you, she smiled back and then motioned for them to all start.

The twins weren't eating their dinner, in fact that was an understatement, they were throwing it at each other, well Alex was throwing his at Gabe, Gabriel was trying to eat his dinner. D'art leant over to Alex and lightly tapped him on the hand, and told him to eat his dinner. That seemed to do the trick and for a while Alex ate his dinner.

Laura watched as D'art told Alex to eat his dinner. Her mother always said, if you have twins, then there will be a mischievous one and a shy one, and Laura hated it when her mother was right, Alex was mischievous and Gabe was shy. Laura was a twin, and she remembered when she became pregnant the doctor saying there was a 70% chance that she would have twins.

Laura was pulled out of her thoughts by Alex throwing his meatball at D'art and her husband ducking enough just to hear the meatball smash into the picture of her late father, knocking it off the shelf and sending it smashing to the ground. She immediately stood up stalked round the table and grabbed her son and dragged him out of the dinning room.

Porthos was just as shocked as everyone else was when Laura dragged Alex out of the room, and slammed the kitchen door why, but no amount of soundproofing could block out Laura shouting at Alex, telling him to remember his manners and to never throw food, especially not to his father, she then told him to go and apologise to his father, and then go straight to bed.

A while later a very solemn looking Alex, walked into the dining room, head down, tear tracks down his face, he walked over to D'art and said a very heartwarming sorry and then dragging his feet went up to bed. About five minutes later, Laura walked into the dinning room, armed with a cloth and detox, she knelt down behind D'art's chair carefully picked up the picture frame, and then Porthos swore he saw a tear run down her face.

D'artganan must've seen the tears too, because he then quietly and politely asked for Porthos, and the others to leave the room, he told them that there was more wine in the kitchen and some chocolates in the cupboard . Porthos picked up Gabe and took him into the lounge and told him to pick a film and they would all watch it together.

—

D'artganan shut the dinning room door, and made his way carefully round the table and towards Laura, who was currently sitting on the floor, holding the picture of her late father. D'artganan hadn't known her father for that long as he died a few before their wedding, it was a terrible car accident, a drunk driver had driven straight into the side of the car, that Laura's father was in, he'd been killed instantly and his death had broken Laura, but they had a deadline for the wedding as D'artganan had to go back into the army, so Laura had her mum walk her down the aisle. But even now, he knew that Laura hadn't allowed herself to grieve fully over he father, but she had named her son after him, Gabriel Pierre D'Artagnan.

He knelt down beside her and carefully grasped her hands and manipulated the photograph out of her hands, he placed the photo on the table, and then he asked Laura to turn around and face him, she did and when she turned around, the look on her face broke his heart. She had tears rolling down her face, and mascara smudged under her eyes, he pulled Laura close to his chest, and cradled her as she cried.

After about ten minutes, D'Artagnan felt Laura push away from him, "I cried all over you" Laura croaked, that made him laugh, he curled a peace of her brown hair over her ear, and said "don't worry, I've been used as a hankie a lot in these past years" Laura huffed and then rose off the ground and murmured something about going to sort herself out and then she yelled at him from the stairs to "go and entertain our guests" D'Artagnan smiled and made his way into the lounge.

"Hey, guys sorry about that, old memories and all that" he said, as he made his way over to the sofa, which was currently seating, Gabe sandwiched between Porthos and Aramis, they were watching Toy story and Athos was in the arm chair with another glass of wine and one of D'Artagnan's father's books. They all looked up at him when he walked in. Gabe looked up at his dad and reached his hands towards him, D'artganan picked Gabe up, "what are you watching?" D'artganan asked, he knew anyway but never the less it took Gabe's mind off his mum.

"We're watching toy story dada, where mamma" Gabe asked, D'artganan sat down in the bay window and said "mamma is just upstairs, she'll be down soon" D'art replied. He then walked back over to his friends and sat down, to watch the film.

—

Laura stood outside Alex's room, she slowly turned the knob and entered his room, there in the middle of the bed was a lump of duvet. She walked over and sat down in the chair beside the bed, Laura opened the duvet to find, a very sad tears little boy. "Mi dispiace mamma" (I'm sorry mamma) Alex said in her mother's tongue, she smiled and said "ti perdono il mío bambino" ( I forgive you my little boy) she replied.

Laura stroked her sons hair until he fell asleep, she turned to look at the clock, it was ten thirty, she turned the bedside lamp off, closed the curtains and pulled the door ajar, she walked downstairs, and into the lounge. "You will all stay the night, I'm not letting you go home at this hour. " she said, Laura wiped a hand over her face, and went to clear up the dishes, but a hand stopped her in her tracks, she thought it was D'art, but when she turned around it was Athos, "let us clear up, you go to bed" he said, Laura couldn't find a voice to say no, so she went back upstairs and sat down at her dressing table.

Her dressing table was just beside the doors to the small balcony, the doors were wide open and the midsummers night breeze blew in and blew her loose hair around, she wiped her makeup off with hot water, and then cleansed her skin. She carefully folded her clothes and placed them over the chair, slipped into her silk nighty and climbed into bed, the crisp sheets, smelling of her husband. Laura fell into a deep sleep that night, the best one she had had in a while.


	3. Chapter 3

After washing the dishes, and showing Aramis, Porthos and Athos their rooms. D'artganan carried Gabe upstairs to bed, but he didn't want to disturb Alex, so he carried Gabe into his and Laura's room and placed the sleepy boy just behind Laura.

He took his clothes off and hung them on the chaise in front of the bed. The summer breeze was quite cold, so D'Artagnan closed the balcony doors and drew the sheer curtains. But he left the window open because he knew Laura liked to wake up to sun streaming through the window. D'artganan got into bed a placed his arm around Gabe and fell asleep.

—

Laura woke up, to the sun streaming through her window and an empty bed. Laura pushed herself up onto her elbows and saw that the balcony doors were open, she stepped out of bed, slipped on her white silk dressing down, tied her hair up into one hell of a messy bun and walked onto the balcony, D'art was standing on the balcony, he was holding Gabe in his arms, "Hey you two, you're up early" she said, coming over to them and kissing her husband.

D'art smiled and said "this one woke me up early so we came out here to watch the sunrise, are you going to the gym this morning?" He asked. Laura shook her head, she didn't feel like it, and with the many guest they were currently hosting, she thought it would be rude to disappear. "I'll go down and start breakfast, if you wouldn't mind waking the others up" Laura said, before going back inside and changing into some grey joggers and a white t- shirt. She then went downstairs and into the kitchen where she started to make the breakfast.

A short while after Laura had started breakfast, Aramis walked in, his hair messy, and he was in a white t-shirt and grey soft shorts, "good morning" she said handing him a coffee, he accepted it gratefully and then sat down at the island.

"Pancakes with peaches, an interesting combination" he said, eyeing up the many stoned peaches that were resting in sugar water. Laura washed her hands and then said " it's the only thing that the twins will eat for breakfast" she said and carried on mixing the batter, and then ladled some into the frying pan, "how many would you like Aramis" she asked, he smiled and put two fingers up, after she had served Aramis his two pancakes, she plated up some for the twins and D'art and then did her portion and having been told that Athos and Porthos will serve themselves, she left the equipment out.

Laura found that Aramis was a charmer, he was easy to talk with and he no doubt used this to charm his way into the arms of beautiful women. When they had finished he kindly washed up the dishes, whilst she went up to have a shower and get dressed.

Laura stood under the shower for a good ten minutes, she relished the feeling of the hot water on her dirty skin, she usually had two showers a day one when she got up and one before she went to bed, but last night she didn't and she felt dirty, she liked the way the water washed away any bad feelings from the day she'd had. The water washed away the horrible memory of the picture of her father falling off the shelf.

Laura dried herself and got dressed into, a pair of jeans, a navy blue shirt, that she tucked half in, half out, she put on a pair of white trainers and plaited her hair, and wrapped it into a tight bun. Sunday's were the days she wore no makeup, so she carefully moisturised her face and then went into the twins room, she woke up Alex, told him to go downstairs into the kitchen for breakfast. He did as he was told and when he left Laura started to tidy up their room.

She loved the twins room. It was a calm and peaceful space, she remembered when she was choosing the colours for the walls, she remembered standing on her own in this large room, the sun streaming through the two bay windows and thinking of D'art, somewhere in Afghanistan fighting, she thought of his smile and his eyes, and that's when she remembered his favourite colour was pale blue. So she decided she would have pale blue on two walls and grey on the others. She didn't want carpet with two small boys, so she just had the floorboards varnished.

The two beds were positioned beside each window, and each window had been made into a sitting area, where she regularly found the boys reading or playing in. At the end of each bed were red boxes, which each held their different toys. In Alex's there was a hoard of French and English fairy tales, Lego and many teddies. In Gabe's there were lots of toy cars, pencils and crayons, trains and more Lego.

Laura noticed a heap of clothes in the floor and some wet towels, so she picked up the clothes, folded them and then she placed them carefully on the shelves in the wall cupboards that spanned a whole wall of the room. She then hung the wet towels over the door and closed the windows.

Laura then closed the door and walked into her and d'arts bedroom and as she entered she saw that the balcony doors were open, she pushed past the white curtains that were blowing around from the wind, and walked into the balcony, her bare feet sticking to the wooden floorboards. She felt the wind on her face, blowing her hair and making her eyes water and she felt free. She had always loved the freedom that one feels when alone, especially on a clear beach with the sea and the sun and the sand, she loved it all.

That's when it hit her, and idea for today, they could, drive to the coast and spend the day at the beach, it was a warm day, the sun was out. Running back inside, she ran out of her room and down the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

The fresh ocean air blew Laura's hair around her in a tornado like dance, she had a smile on her face as she raised her head, with closed eyes to the streaming sun. Her white unbuttoned shirt billowed with the wind behind it, her feet had sunk into the wet sand as the pale blue water trickled in between her toes. She looked happy, for the first time since they moved to Paris, Laura had a real, true and honest smile on her face.

D'artganan looked round to find, the twins rolling around in the sand with Porthos. Porthos's black hair was covered in golden grains of sand, and the twins had wet hair plastered to their foreheads and a faint tan was starting to appear on their arms and legs. Athos was sitting in his beach chair reading a book, his hat slightly bowed to shade his eyes from the sun, legs crossed, he looked content. Aramis was swimming in the blue sea and every now and then if d'art squinted hard enough a brown blob would appear from under the waves.

Laura looked round to find d'art gazing around, smiling she skipped over to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. In response d'art picked up her legs and wrapped them securely around his waist, he then pulled her close and kissed her hard. The kiss was full of passion and love and when they pulled apart he started to run towards the sea. Realising what was happening Laura started to scream and pull away from him, "no don't, oh my god, please don't, I'll get wet" she screamed. D'art just started to laugh and then when he was knee deep in the water, he dropped Laura.

She landed with a splash, as the cold water seeped into her eyes and nose, she kicked hard and reached the surface, smacking her hands on the water surface, she grabbed d'art and dunked his head into the water, she watched as his hair floated around wildly and as his hands came up and smacked the surface of the water, this was shortly followed by his head and when their eyes locked, a childish smile appeared on his face.

Porthos, Aramis and Athos, watched D'Artagnan run towards the sea with a squealing Laura in his arms, they couldn't help but smile as she begged him to stop, when he dropped her into the water, Aramis said " I want to be loved like that one day, to have that trust and fondness for someone, to love with all that passion and commitment, that's what I want"

Athos smiled at that and patted Aramis on the shoulder.

"One day my friend we will all have a love like that, one that cannot be broken" Athos said, he then turned and walked back towards his chair and proceeded to continue reading his book.

Suddenly Gabe and Alex came running up to Porthos and Aramis, and each boy chose to wrap their legs and arms around the legs of Porthos and Aramis.

"God they're like koalas" Aramis exclaimed as he stumbled around and eventually fell to the ground in a tangle of legs and arms, with a giggling and squirming child in his arms.

Porthos smiled and gently untangled Alex from his legs and heaved the boy up onto his shoulders.

"Shall we fly Alex" Porthos asked and the boy nodded in reply.

At this Porthos started to run wildly around the beach, and above him Alex waved his small arms around and squeaked in delight.

Laura turned around at the small high pitched squeal and to her relief she found that Alex was squealing in delight and not fear. She smiled at the sight of Porthos and Aramis playing with her sons: All the men had been a great help with the boys since d'art had got this job. Despite the dangers it held, they always managed to come home safe and sound, with tired smiles and weary limbs. They would always be on hand to pick the boys up from nursery or take them swimming if something cropped up at the hospital where she worked, which something always did. Being a consultant Neurologist there was always something that needed her attention or expertise. And so she was always confident in calling Aramis or Porthos to help her out now and then. Laura was so grateful that these men had entered her and D'art's life.

Laura was pulled out of her thoughts by D'art who was asking if anyone wanted an ice cream, the twins squealed at that and came running up to her and D'art pleading for ice cream. D'art agreed and then started to walk off in the direction of the ice cream shop, when he was far in the distance Laura turned around to her two boys. "Now who wants to build some sandcastles eh?" She asked, grabbing two buckets and two spades, she plonked herself down on the soft sand and started to dig a hole.

—-

As D'Artagnan waited in the queue for ice cream, he admired the brown curls of the woman in front of him, she smelt of rose and it reminded him of a girl he used to date back when he was at college. She smelt of rose and had vibrant ginger curls and bright green eyes, her name was Constance.

They'd met when he had accidentally thrown up on her dress at a party, which was not his finest hour he had to admit. Constance had taken it surprisingly well and had offered to walk him to his dorm, in which his roommate Dylan was studying in. Constance had basically carried him back to his dorm, whereupon Dylan had thanked her and promptly sent d'art to bed. Unbeknownst to D'art, Constance has slipped her phone number into his jean pocket.

The following morning Constance met him in the college park and they had basically gone from there. They were together all the way through college and all the way up to graduation, whereupon D'art told her that he was going to join the army, Constance had not taken it well and she had hit him and cried at him until she told him she didn't want to be together anymore, and that she'd only be with him unless he quit the army. So that day D'art had walked home, alone for the first time in three years; he still remembers the rain hitting his face and soaking his clothes all the way home, until he fell into bed trainers and all.

D'Artagnan was taken out of his thoughts by the ice cream man asking him what flavours he would like, "err two chocolate single scoops in tubs please" he said, the man just smiled at him and gave him the two tubs. D'art thanked him and gave him the money, telling him to keep the change.

As he turned around, a voice said. "I thought I recognised you, the same hair style and politeness".

Turning in the direction the voice came, D'art met the face from all those years ago. Constance. She seemed taller and slimmer, she'd dyed her curls brown and it suited her, it just emphasised the green of her eyes. She still had the heart warming smile she'd always had.

"Oh wow, Constance, wow, err, how are you?" He stuttered.

She smiled and laughed a bit, "I'm really good thanks, how are you, I mean I haven't seen you since we broke up".

"Really has it been that long, well I'm good, I was in the army for two tours so four years, in that time I've got married and I have two kids" he replied.

D'art swore he could see some sadness in those green eyes when she said " oh wow that's amazing, I mean you're quite young for marriage and kids"

He laughed at that, "yeah well when you're in the army I suppose you want to make the most of life, never know what's gonna happen, anyway I best go otherwise the twins will think I've eaten they're food. But it's been really nice to see you" d'art said.

Constance smiled " yeah you too" she then ripped up her receipt and scribbled some digits on it, "err here, if you wanna meet up some time for a proper catch up, that's my number" she said, and then quickly walked off, got in her car and drove off.

Deciding that if he was gone any longer, Laura would come marching up here herself, D'art shoved the paper in his back pocket, making a mental note to text Constance later and jogged down the sand dunes and onto the flat beach, whereupon two very sandy boys came running up to him shouting ice cream.

—

When Constance got home, she dumped her bag on the hallway chair, marched straight into the kitchen, poured herself a huge glass of wine, walked into the lounge, where she opened the balcony doors, to her view of the Eiffel Tower, put her favourite record on and stood on her balcony swaying to the sweet voice of Lana del ray and sipped her wine.

Constance stood on that balcony for a good two hours, wishing she had not let D'art go that day at graduation. She wished she was the Mrs D'Artagnan, with the two children and the probably fancy house somewhere near the beach. She regretted that day for so many years, all the years she dated other men, all they years she sat in her office, starting her fashion business, she wished she had D'art by her side.

Instead she has Mark, who is the nicest man to be with if you want to go walking round Paris drinking wine and visiting fashion shows. But Constance had come to realise that in the past few years, she had wanted to snuggle up on the sofa and watch a romantic movie and not walk round Paris all night long, listening to students throw up and watching people propose day after day, perhaps she was turning into a grumpy Parisian.

Constance glanced at her watch, it was midnight. So she closed the doors to her balcony, put the glass of wine on the mahogany table and made her way to bed, she opened her closet dumped her clothes on a random shelf, and slid into bed naked.

She didn't care, usually Mark, was working on the weekends in New York so she had the apartment to herself, and even if he wasn't he'd seen her naked so many times that she didn't care either way. That night Constance fell asleep to the sweet lull of Lana del Ray.

—-

They got home late, eleven o clock to be precise. When they had finally dropped off Aramis and Porthos at their flat and Athos at his house, got home they're selves and put the twins to bed and packed all the paraphernalia that came with going to the beach, it was gone midnight.

Laura slid, into bed in nothing but her bra and knickers, her hair in a plait, D'art did the same minus the plait and bra, just in his boxers and they both fell asleep cuddling each other.

But at half past two in the morning, D'art woke up. Trying not to wake Laura, he quietly entered the closet and tried to find his jeans, but after thirty seconds of blindly patting the floor with his hands, he decided to chance it and turn the light on, hoping not to wake his wife, d'art finally found the said jeans, and picked out the receipt with Constance's number on. Swearing because he'd left his phone on charge next to Laura's side of the bed, D'art decided to go downstairs and do it on the IPad.

Having successfully gotten downstairs without waking the kids or Laura up, d'art sat at the kitchen island, typing in Constance's number. He just couldn't believe it was her.

He'd often wondered what it had been like if she had not broken up with him that day and they'd stayed together, but then D'art never would've met Laura and never would've had Gabe and Alex and he didn't think his life would be possible without those three people in his life; So D'art put that thought out of his mind and texted Constance to say it was nice meeting her today and that he'd like to meet up some time in the future.

He only realised it was three o clock in the morning after he'd sent the damn message. Swearing again, he put the piece of paper in the bin and placed the IPad away. He then crept back upstairs and slid back into bed, setting his alarm for half seven. D'art fell asleep that morning to the thoughts of the woman only three blocks away from him.

To be continued

authors note

i would just like to say a huge than you to those who read this story xx


	5. Chapter 5

Laura woke up to a pair of small arms wrapped around her middle, smiling she manoeuvered herself out of the koala hug and turned around to find d'art fast asleep with Alex asleep at his feet, his small head peaking out at the wrong end of the bed and Gabe asleep sprawled out in the centre of the bed, his golden brown hair crumpled and his mouth parted with small sighs coming out of it.

Walking over to the window, her feet padding on the floorboards, she opened the window and let the fresh morning air blow her hair away from her face. Tying the curtain to the side of the window and then going into the bathroom to shower, Laura took one last look at her family and closed the bathroom door.

—

D'Artagnan awoke to the sound of running water, and a quiet humming coming from the en-suite. Climbing over the twins, d'art peered through the slightly ajar door to see Laura, her silhouette barely visible through the steam and bright light. So he left the door open and sloped downstairs, poured himself some coffee and sat at the island.

A loud vibrating sound startled him from his morning muse and turning to look at his phone d'art saw that there was a text from Constance. Today was the day that he could properly catch up with the woman he'd spent so much time with for the very important years of his life.

When he was with Constance he felt safe and comfortable, he felt like he could share anything with her. And when she left him refusing to be with someone in the army, he felt like that safe bubble had been popped and he'd been thrown into the real world.

But Laura had been the one who'd brightened his life during the dark days of the army and who'd given him the best two things in his life and he couldn't be happier. But he knew that there was a part of him that still belonged to Constance, that would always belong to her, and so he felt that he needed to do this for him and no one else.

—

Laura came out of the shower and put on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, and made her way down the stars to find, d'art in a blue t-shirt and grey joggers, staring at his phone. Sometimes she forgot that they were only 28 and still very young to be in the situation they are in. But she wouldn't have it any other way.

Leaning down to give him a kiss on the head, she pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, good sleep" she asked, as she started to get food out of the fridge and pans from the hooks on the wall.

"Yeah it was okay, twins had nightmares so I brought them in and they fell asleep on me" he replied with a laugh.

Smiling Laura got on with the breakfast. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, d'art went to get up to answer it but, Laura patted him on the shoulder and went through into the hall, the cold floor sucking any heat from her bare feet as she walked over to the door.

Opening the door, she was met with the smiling face of Aramis, his hair immaculately brushed with a pair of sunglasses resting on his head. He wore a sailor striped t-shirt with tan shorts and white trainers. A broad smile was plastered on his face and he casually leant against the porch frame.

'Aramis can I help you, it's quite early in the morning" Laura said as she heard d'art pad over to her side.

"Yes I think you can Laura, I'd like to take you and the twins for a day out, as you so kindly took us all to the beach a couple of weeks ago". Aramis said, as was stepping into the house.

Laura smiled and said "that would be lovely Aramis I'll go and get the twins ready". As she started to turn and go towards the stairs ; she stopped as a hand rested on her shoulder. As she turned around she met the eyes of Aramis.

"I'll go and get them ready Laura, you relax" Laura nodded her head in thanks and went into the lounge, she really needed to change the curtains as they were there when they moved in.

Sitting down on the sofa, she placed her feet on the coffee table and switched on the tv. She flicked through the films listed and picked out titanic. It was her favourite movie and she remembered the first time she'd watched it, with her dad. Sitting in their small lounge which looked out over the marina in Nice, she'd sat there cuddled in his lap for the three hours and even when she'd tried to hide her tears she'd felt the tighter cuddle of her father's arms around her.

She really missed that comfort these last few years. Her father wasn't a particularly emotional man and he'd struggled to comfort people but she'd always loved the fact that he would just know how to comfort her. Her mother had always said that they were always the closest in the family.

So as the opening scene started Laura sank into the imaginary arms of her father and watched the movie.

—-

Aramis walked up the stairs, and when he got to the landing he saw three doors. He opted for the door in front of him as it was slightly ajar and the other two that were round the corner were shut. So he decided to open the door in front of him. Placing his hand on the cold brass knob he opened the door and the sight that met him made him smile.

He realised he had entered Laura and D'arts room. The white wooden bed was placed in the centre of the room and there were two windows to the left side of the bed and placed in between them was a chest that had been painted a grey colour. And a vase of lavender was placed on it.

Further round the room, were some double doors, which opened onto a small balcony that looked out over the garden. A small en-suite was to the right of the balcony and what Aramis reckoned was a closet was the next door after the en-suite. A dressing table was next to the en-suite and just in front of the bed was a chaise that had various clothes strewn over it.

But what had made him smile was the sight of two small boys asleep in the bed, the stripy bedding tangled between small arms and legs. Gabe was asleep in the centre of the bed his mouth hanging open and hair messy, and Alex was asleep at the end of the bed, his head poking out of the bedding.

Aramis slowly walked over to the bed and lightly tapped Alex on the shoulder, he turned his head slowly and rubbing his eyes gave a small shy smile. Aramis silently beckoned him towards his arms, and Alex held out his arms for Aramis to pick him up, so he leant forward and scooped him up into his embrace.

A small smile graced Aramis' face as small arms wrapped around his neck and small legs wrapped around his waist. Aramis carried Alex into the twins' bedroom and placed Alex on his bed whilst he got a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out.

"Arms up matey" he said as he pulled the shirt over Alex's head.

After he'd got Alex dressed he told him to go downstairs and tell Laura to get ready. As he watched Alex happily skip down the stairs he made his way back into the room to get Gabe.

—

Laura was awoken by Alex jumping on her legs and telling her to get ready as they were going to the park. So she got up, brushed the creases out of her shirt and got her trainers on.

Just as she was tying her laces Gabe came running down the stairs with a huge smile on his face.

"Are you ready bambino?" She asked, as she carefully brushed the hair away from his face. Gabe nodded and taking his small hand in hers she opened the door and led him to the car. With Aramis and Alex not far behind.

—

When D'Artagnan heard Laura shout her goodbye and the front door closed. He got up off the sofa in the conservatory and made his way upstairs. He had around one hour until he had to meet Constance. And they were meeting in the Deli at the end of the street he lived on, so he figured that he could leave five minutes before and be there on time if he walked.

Opening the closet door he searched through all of his shirts and t-shirts until he found a navy shirt and he paired it with a pair of tan chino shorts. He put on some white trainers and brushed his hair. He dabbed some aftershave on his neck and went downstairs to clean up.

It was quiet without Laura and the kids, and it was strange because he'd been so used to noise his whole life. When he was growing up in Canada he'd lived on a farm and so there was always the sound of animals and machinery. And his mother was always doing something around the house. Then he'd joined the army and again he'd been surrounded by a different sound but still comforting. The sound of his comrades breathing whilst they slept, the prayers and poems they recited before any dangerous mission. The sound of gunfire and bombs.

Then when he'd met Laura and they had got married and had children, he was welcomed with the sounds of crying, laughing. Laura cleaning or cooking or talking to the boys in Italian.

And so when D'Artagnan found himself alone in the house, he didn't like it. So he turned the radio on and turned it up to full, then set about loading the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen, he then went through the sliding doors into the lounge where he pulled up the blinds and drew the curtains. He plumped the cushions and tidied up the bowls and cups left on the coffee table. Stacked the magazines and switched the light off and allowed the sunlight to stream through both the lounge and kitchen.

D'Artagnan suddenly looked at his phone and found it was almost five to one, so he grabbed his wallet and keys, stuffed them in his pocket and left the house ready to meet Constance.

—-

As Constance walked down the cobbled street, she took in the different houses. Some brick houses with grey doors and French balcony's, and some further down she noticed were Victorian and had steps going up to them with a porch and a tiled hallway. Big bay windows and side balcony's looking out over gardens. They were beautiful and one day Constance hoped she could own something like this.

As she reached the end of the street she saw the Deli. It was on the corner and it had grey paintwork, lavender and gypsophila hanging from a window above the shop, but it hung so low that it covered the top of the display window. In the display window, we're baskets of fresh bread, baguettes and bagels, olives in tubs and dried chillis hung from brass hooks. Chutneys and so many different types of cheeses were stacked in the left corner. And outside on the street we're three bistro tables all filled with people, sipping cups of coffee and indulging in pastries. All talking with bright animated faces.

And there casually leant against the doorframe was D'Artagnan, dressed immaculately in a navy shirt and chino shorts, sunglasses disguising his face. He smiled and waved as she came over.

"Hello stranger" she said and they embraced, he opened the door for her and she entered the shop and went to a table in the bay window that looked out over the park.

Taking a seat she took a moment to look at him. He still had the youthful spark in his golden eyes, but he had lines around his eyes and he looked tired. Well maybe that was parenting for you.

A couple minutes later a waitress came over and took their orders, D'Artagnan a beer and Constance ordered a glass of Prosecco.

"Do you come here often D'art" she asked as he took a sip of his beer, he smiled put the beer down and said,

"Sometimes, with Laura but mostly I come with my friends after work every Friday as, we come here for a drink and then to mine for dinner". She smiled at the sight of D'art and his friends descending on Laura after a few drinks.

"Sounds nice, anyway enough of the small talk, I want to know what have you been doing this last years?"

So as D'art explained his army experience, meeting Laura, and marrying her, then going back to the army, coming back, his father's death and now his current job. Constance couldn't help but feel sad. He looked so happy talking about his life and his friends, it seemed like he had it all figured out and that made her sad because when they were together it was like he relied on her for friends and things like that, as he'd never really had many friends. And now it was like they had role reversed. He had all the friends and family, and she had her boyfriend and a few of his friends. And it reminded her of just how rubbish her life was, and how centred around her business she was and how family orientated D'art was.

"Constance, hey, Constance, you okay?" Asked D'Artagnan as he waved a hand in her face. Coming out of her mellow thoughts she realised she no longer belonged here, so getting up and grabbing her bag she said " I'm sorry d'art I can't be here, I can't do this" and at the last part she choked up. So quickly walking outside and marching down the street angrily swiping away tears she went home.

—

D'Artagnan was a little confused to say the least, a few minutes ago they'd been happily chatting about their lives and then all of a sudden Constance had gotten up in a fluster mumbled something about not being able to do this and had marched out of the Deli.

D'Artagnan had kindly payed the waitress and followed Constance outside only to find her halfway down the street. So he ran to catch her up. As he caught up to her, he tapped her shoulder and she turned around to meet his face. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy, her hair was being blown around in a brown and ginger whirl, her pale pink silk pleated skirt was swirling all around her and her green flowery blouse was pressed against her from the wind. She angrily wiped away her tears and sniffed.

"What's wrong, you were fine a minute ago" he asked holding both her shoulders and giving them a comforting squeeze. She sniffed again and then sighed and said

"It's me okay, I think I'm jealous of your life, you know when you were talking about your life and your job it made me realise how rubbish my life is and how amazing yours is"

After she had said this she turned back around and walked to her car where she got in and drove off, the smell of petrol hung in the air for a while and D'Artagnan was sure he stood there in the middle of the street like a lemon for at least a few minutes just in pure shock at what she'd said. She was jealous of him, the boy who'd she'd met who had one friend and led a very quiet life. Who still to this day only had a few friends and had a relatively quiet life. She, the woman who has her own fashion company, who lives in the centre of Paris with her boyfriend in a flat twice the price of his house.

He couldn't get his mind around it, so he just decided he'd walk back home and have a very long shower, a big glass of wine and get on with some reports for work tomorrow.

—

When Laura got home from the park, the hall light was on. Stevie wonder was playing from the record player and there was an open bottle of wine on the island. This meant only one thing, D'art was working. So she placed her shoes on the floor and left the door open for Aramis and the boys and walked over to the study where she found d'art hunched over his computer, finger typing away some report from a file he had to his right.

She walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed them down to his chest, where she then leant forward and kissed him on the neck.

"What you doing" she asked as she took the glass of wine and had a sip.

"Working, I've got to file these reports for tomorrow, it's boring paperwork, but it's got to be done" he said and he ran a hand through his hair. Sensing that it was her queue to leave she placed a kiss on his head and quietly pulled the door to.

Walking through to the kitchen she found, Aramis giving two glasses of juice to the boys and then telling them to go and choose a film.

"You do know they'll pick toy story and you'll have to watch it for the millionth time Aramis" Laura said with a smile. He just smiled and poured himself a rather large glass of wine and replied.

" I know, but it keeps them quiet for a few hours". So as Aramis went into the lounge with the boys, Laura quietly closed the sliding doors and sat at the island and poured herself the last of the bottle of wine and went upstairs and turned the bath on.

When the bath was ready and the hot blue water was steaming at the surface and the candles were illuminating the room. Laura stripped and stepped into the hot bath. Laura rested her head at on end of the bath and watched as the glow of the sunset painted the white tiles orange. She closed her eyes and let the soapy water soak her skin and the bubbles tickle her neck. Relishing the feeling of peace, and wishing that she didn't have to go to work the next day.


	6. Chapter 6

God Laura hated Halloween. Every year D'artganan held a party for his family, her family and their friends. It was obviously a Canadian thing, because Laura sure as hell didn't celebrate Halloween growing up in Nice and Rome. Every year D'art went all out, scanning the shops for cobwebs, pumpkins, horrible fake amputated fingers and awful smelling candles. He'd buy costumes for the twins and then drag Laura out to buy one for them too, and guess what. That day was coming round very quickly, Laura supposed the good thing was that Aramis, Porthos and Athos would be coming too, because as they were also invited they had to have a costume.

So this is how Laura found herself in a shop surrounded by adult men and two twin boys obsessing over Halloween costumes. She had donated her arms to holding the many costumes D'artganan had found and was now standing in the centre of the shop listening to her husband and his friends bickering over who was going to be the 'creepy' doctor. Laura couldn't believe her ears, and it was only going to get worse. So deciding she'd had enough, Laura dropped the costumes on the floor, grabbed her bag and Gabe's hand, along with Alex's and said

'right, I've had enough with you lot, I'm taking the twins to the café round the corner, you have ten minutes to decide who's who and then I'm leaving with you guys or not, understood" and with that Laura marched off leaving behind four very surprised men behind her.

Laura gave it fifteen minutes before she left the café, as she was rather enjoying her coffee. Just as she was about to leave and get the twins from the colouring corner, she spied D'art just about to cross the road, he had two big white bags of costumes. Laura smiled, it was rather funny seeing D'art act like a child, she couldn't imagine what it was like when he actually was one. But something caught Laura's eye, no someone caught her eye. A woman with abnormally ginger curly hair was walking towards D'art, he dropped the bags beside him and embraced her. How strange Laura thought to herself as she placed a five euro note on the table and motioned for the twins to follow her. She left the café and went to cross the road when D'art saw her, said goodbye and walked over to her, placing a quick kiss on her cheek, he handed one of the bags to her and took Gabe's hand.

"Who was that woman you were saying hello to?" Laura asked whilst trying to get her keys out of the bag, it wasn't working so she placed her phone in her mouth and let go of Alex's hand and motioned for D'art to pass her the keys.

" it was an old friend from high school" he said whilst smiling at his phone and texting, he still hadn't passed her the keys. Laura was going to scream at him in a moment but she just carried on motioning to him, he didn't see her. "Can you help please D'art, instead of texting?" She asked quickly, he looked up to see her predicament and took the bag from her hand and opened the car.

"Thanks" She said, and after strapping the twins in the car, and packing the boot, Laura got into the car and drove home.

When Laura got home and she'd unpacked the shopping, laid out the costumes on the respective beds of their owners and cleaned the kitchen, she ran herself a bath and got in. D'art was in the bedroom reading after having sent the kids to bed early as tomorrow was the party and they were going to have a late night.

"So are you going to tell me about this friend of yours or not D'art" Laura shouted from the en-suite. She heard some rustling and the pattering of feet, and then the bathroom door opened and D'art entered and sat on the edge of the bath, flicking some water at her. She laughed and splashed him back.

"We met a high school, and we became friends. Her name is Constance and she was my first girlfriend. In fact my only girlfriend before I met you. She dumped me when she learnt I was joining the army. I met her when we were at the beach that day with the guys and she gave me her number so we could properly catch up" he said whilst swirling his finger in the hot water.

"So, did you properly catch up after that" Laura pressed, D'art just looked at her and carried on swirling his finger in the water. So Laura poked her foot out of the water and placed it in his face, he grimaced and pulled away pushing her foot back into the water.

"Yes, the day you were out with Aramis, we met at the deli and had a sort of catch up" he replied between laughs at what Laura was doing. She had a rubber duck resting on her face and she was blowing bubbles under the water.

Laura came up form under the water, "what do you mean a sort of catch up" she asked edging closer to him and taking his hands in hers. He edged closer and squeezed her hands tight.

" well we started talking about what we've done with out lives and then she got very upset and left" he said with a bit of sorrow in his voice. Laura frowned and reached up to cup his cheek in her palm, she then pulled him towards her lips and they kissed, it failed though. Because D'artganan lost his balance and fell with a mighty splash into the water hitting his head on the side of the bath as he did so. Laura couldn't stop laughing and she grabbed a towel to place against the cut he now has on his head.

"You can make that part of your costume for tomorrow" Laura said as she got out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her. D'art just turned around and kissed her more, he pushed her against the door which opened with her weight and they walked (rather awkwardly) into the bedroom. Laura wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he picked her up with ease, the muscles of his tanned arms contorting, she kissed even harder and they fell onto the bed, the towel falling of her, Laura ripped off his shirt and D'art took off his shorts, and together they lay there in the bed all night, their arms and legs entwined, his warm breath blowing onto her neck and her fingers caressing his cheek.

Constance lay on her sofa, friends playing, a glass of wine on the table and multiple magazines lay on the floor. A Pizza box was discarded in the corner of her lounge and the balcony windows were wide open letting the cool October breeze into her flat. And a pile of unwashed pots lay in the sink. Three days ago she'd broken up with her boyfriend of five years and she'd taken this whole week off, she still had two days left, but all she wanted to do was watch friends until she fell asleep and live off pizza and wine. She had twenty missed calls from her best friend Anne, and three missed calls from her mother. She packed up all of her boyfriend stuff, placed in boxes and left them outside her flat door, and she heard him come to collect them early this morning.

Her phone buzzed, she almost jumped out of her skin, it was Anne. _Hey Connie, I'm coming over in an hour, have the wine ready please. Xx Anne_

Great, so with that Constance got up, washed the pots up and put them away, put a wash on, she closed the windows and threw away all the rubbish that had accumulated through the the week. And she put on some grey sweatpants and a black crop top, put her fluffy white socks on and put her greasy hair up in a messy bun. Took two bottles of white wine out of the fridge and made an order for another pizza.

Anne arrived half an hour later as usual and marched in the flat when Constance opened the door. "Wow I've never seen you look so awful Connie, what wrong" Anne said as she dragged her to the sofa, kicked off her red heels and very ungracefully plonked herself and Constance on the sofa.

"I dumped him Anne, we broke up" Constance said as she poured herself and Anne a huge glass of wine. She handed one to Anne and switched on friends.

"Oh Constance, well I'm here now, so let's just sit and relax and watch friends, get drunk and stuff our faces with pizza eh" Anne said as she threw a blanket over them both and snuggled down next to her friend. So that's what they did, they got drunk and they ate lots of pizza, they laughed and cried at friends and eventually, Constance had to carry Anne to her spare bedroom and dump her on the bed, Constance then went to her bedroom and pretty much fell asleep as her head hit the pillow.

Constance woke up to the quite loud singing of Anne, rubbing her eyes, Constance pulled back her pale pink duvet and stumbled over to the bathroom, she splashed her face with some cold water and pulled on a grey hoody, she was still in her clothes from last night but she wasn't bothered at all. As Constance walked into her kitchen she found, Anne dressed in grey sweatpants and a pink too, wearing a bright yellow apron, her golden hair was in two Dutch plaits and she was singing and swaying to the record that was playing on the player in the lounge. Smiling Constance walked over to sink, poured herself a glass of water and sat at the breakfast bar. "Good morning Anne, you're way to happy for a woman with a hangover" she said as she lay down on the surface of the worktop with her face on the cold slab of marble. Anne just smiled and handed her a plate of pancakes with peaches.

"That's an odd combination" Constance murmured as she tucked in, Anne sat down opposite her and tucked in, "a man I went on a date with yesterday said his friends wife makes them for his children every morning" Anne said between bites. After they finished Anne washed up and then left as she had to shop for this Halloween party she was going to with this new guy she'd met. Apparently they had met in a café and he'd asked her for a drink that evening and they'd been on three dates since then. D'artganan had invited Constance to this Halloween party, so she said she'd go but no for long, it would be nice to get out of the house tonight and enjoy herself and finally meet Laura who D'artganan never stopped talking about. Going into her room she decided she'd root through her closet and put together a costume.

Laura was stressed, and D'art knew it. When Laura was stressed she went very quiet. So seeing Laura silently decorate the house and prepare Halloween food and walk straight past him as he decorated random cakes and prepared drinks was quite disconcerting. Aramis was in the hall putting up cobwebs, whilst Porthos was carving pumpkins in the conservatory with the twins and Athos was trying to connect the phone to surround speakers in the lounge, kitchen and hallway.

D'art went upstairs and into their bedroom. On the bed Laura had laid out their costumes for the night. Laura was Morticia Addams and he was Gomez Addams and the twins were pumpkins. He was just folding up the clothes on the floor when his phone buzzed. Looking over to the table where his phone was charging he saw he had a text from Constance,

 _Hey D'art, just wondering what time I need to be at the party. I'm bringing my friend Anne, apparently she knows one of your friends._

 _X Con_

D'art quickly texted back with the time and went back downstairs to help a probably more stressed Laura, so he went back downstairs and grabbed a bag of pumpkin lights and started winding them around the stair banister.

One hour, one hour to go until the party started. One hour, Laura couldn't wait. So putting down her phone she went upstairs to get ready. She picked up her costume and went into the closet to get changed. Once she'd got her dress on, she went over to the dressing table and straightened her hair within an inch of its life, stuck on some ridiculously long red fake nails, applied red lipstick and pale powder. She placed five chunky rings in various fingers and put on her very high black heels. She already saw that D'art's costume wasn't there so he must already be ready. As she got up she looked at herself in the mirror. God she looked different. Closing the door behind her Laura made her way downstairs.

D'art watched as Laura entered the kitchen, all fully costumed. Her long black dress hugged her curves and created a very strange shadow in the light. Her usually curly brown hair was straightened and it reached just above her hips. Chunky silver rings adorned her fingers and her bright red nails matched her red lipstick.

She walked over to him and he pulled her close, she rested her head under his chin and breathed in the smell of his cologne. "The house looks amazing honey, you've done a great job" he whispered as she pulled away and went to answer the door.

The atmosphere was amazing, Constance had never been to a party like it. D'art had opened the sliding door right through the front of the house and everyone was dancing and laughing. She saw Laura dancing with one of the twins in her arms singing and not far away was D'art holding his young son on his two feet dancing, Aramis and Anne were in the garage, probably making out and Porthos and Athos were having a great time dancing to the music. The rest of the people must have been parents of the twins's friends and neighbours, but they all looked like they were having fun.

She saw Laura tell D'art that she was going somewhere and Constance guessed it was to out the kids to bed. Once Laura had gone upstairs, Constance walked over to D'art and said hi.

"Laura's gone to take the kids up to bed, she'll be a while so you might wanna say hi later." He said as he grabbed another beer from the ice box.

"Let's go outside huh, it quite hot in here," she said, she took his hand and led him outside into the garden. If she was honest her head was quite fuzzy and she was beginning to wobble a bit, but she put it to the fact the house was hot. D'art seemed to follow reluctantly, but he followed anyway. She led him round the side of the house and pushed him up against the wall. She whispered in his ear and he laughed.

She pressed her hands against his chest and went to kiss him, but she soon found herself pushed against the fence, "no constance, I'm married" he said. D'art went to walk away but she took his hand, spun him around and kissed him hard. He pushed her harder and went to walk away. But he stopped and turned around, "I invited you here to spend some time with me and meet my friends and family and YOU think I'm leading you on" he shouted, he then grabbed her arm and led her through the house, he opened the front door dragged her outside and slammed it.

"I'm married Constance, I have a good life, and I intend to keep it that way, I won't let it be ruined by a drunken mistake" he hissed at her, she stood back and wiped the tears from her face.

"I'm sorry D'art, I'm not thinking straight, I shouldn't have come, you know let's not meet up again okay." She said and then she walked away called for a cab and left.

Laura stood in the spare bedroom window having watched Constance kiss D'artganan. She couldn't move, rooted there to the spot. It didn't matter that she kissed him, he kissed back. Wiping the tears from her eyes, her hand came back with a huge black spot on it, she'd smudged her makeup. Walking into her bedroom she took off her makeup, dumped her dress on the floor, grabbed a sweatshirt and some shorts and went into the spare room, as she undid the duvet she slipped off her socks and go into the cold, hard sheets. She unfolded a blanket and wrapped it up to her chin. She fell into a fitful sleep that night.

D'artganan couldn't find Laura, he looked in the twins room, she wasn't there, in his room she wasn't there. He looked in Porthos and aramis's room, she wasn't there, and she wasn't in Athos's room either. As he went up to the third floor, he saw the spare room door was ajar. He went in and found Laura asleep in the bed, her socks strewn on the floor. He pulled the blanket up to her chin and kissed her on the head. He then made his way down to his bedroom and got into his shirts and then into bed. The bed felt cold without Laura and it felt empty too, so he got up, went upstairs and climbed into bed with Laura. He felt her move when he wrapped his arm around her middle but she didn't move away so he held her tighter and fell sound asleep.

When Constance got home she was welcomed to a dark and cold flat, a text of a selfie of Anne and Aramis together at the party and a boat load of mail. Constance just pulled her duvet from her bed and kicked off her boots, threw her jacket in the floor and climbed into the sofa with her duvet wrapped around her. The distant hum of the Paris traffic lulled Constance into a sweet sleep (so to speak).


	7. Chapter 7

Laura woke up to the rain pelting the window so hard it made the window rattle. Sighing she got out of bed and turned to find D'art fast asleep on the other side of the bed. It had been two weeks since the Halloween party and D'artganan's and Constance's kiss. Aramis and Anne were happily dating, the twins were enjoying school, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'artganan were all working hard on a very long case. And Laura well, all she could think of was the kiss, it consumed her working days, her weekends and yet she couldn't find it in her to bring it up with D'art.

Laura went downstairs in her pyjamas and started making pancakes for the twins' breakfast. She was busy flipping the pancakes when Gabe and Alex came bounding down into the kitchen and scrambling to get a place at the island, Laura served them their breakfast and two glasses of milk and then went upstairs to wake D'art.

He'd come home late last night from work, aching and limping from his training, he'd fallen straight asleep without even greeting her. Walking into their room, Laura found him still asleep, she sat lightly on the bed next to him and shook him, he didn't wake. She carried on shaking him but nothing happened. Starting to feel slightly panicked she grabbed him but the shoulders and shook him hard, he awoke.

"Laura woah, no need to wake me up that hard" he said, rubbing his eyes. Laura fell back onto her hands and breathed a sigh in relief.

"Don't do that to me again please, I couldn't wake you, I thought you were dead" she whispered, wiping her hand across her face, she patted him on the shoulder and told him breakfast was ready and went into the closet to get dressed.

Laura stared at the two dresses in front of her, blue or red. She couldn't decide, she sat down on the chaise and sighed, she was so tired. "I think the red one is better" D'art said from the bedroom, he was putting his shoes on getting ready to go to work. Picking the red one, she unzipped the back, stepped into the dress and then motioned to D'art, who was now in the closet to zip her back up. His hands were cold as he zipped the dress up. She turned around and put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the nose.

"Thank you" She murmured, he smiled and kissed her back. He then picked up his brief case and said goodbye. Laura put on her shoes and walked to the window where she could see D'art just leaving the house. There was a man walking down the street, with his eyes fixed on D'art, and just as D'art was leaving the house the man started running towards D'art, he was pulling something out of his pocket but Laura couldn't see what it was and then D'art turned around to find the man running right towards him, D'art put his brief case down and grabbed his gun from the in his coat but it was too late, the man had fired his gun at D'art.

Laura screamed and watched D'art fall to the ground, the man looked up to see her at the window, he fired his gun again, Laura ducked and ran into the closet, grabbed the spare pistol and ran downstairs, she ran into the kitchen grabbed the boys hands and dragged them upstairs.

"Go and hide in the cupboard in the spare room, and don't come out until I come and get you okay, I love you" She said, and ushered them upstairs. They did and Laura grabbed her gun and ran downstairs, she also grabbed the first aid box. She ran through the door, the man had gone and D'artganan was lying on the drive in a pool of dark blood.

"D'art, Hey honey," she yelled, she was on her knees, she grabbed a pressure gauze and pressed it hard on his now bare chest. She had ripped his shirt off. He groaned, and turned his head to her, his hand coming up to touch her face.

"It's okay, stay awake yeah, I'm gonna call the ambulance and then the guys okay" she pleaded, Laura placed her phone on the floor dialled the emergency number. Whilst it was ringing she pressed harder on the wound, but the blood was spilling out between her fingers, she took off her jacket wound it up and pressed it harder on the wound.

"Hello, yes ambulance please, my husband he's been shot, emm upper left chest, Yes he's breathing, no he's unconscious, about fifteen minutes ago, okay I'm doing that, yeah thank you." She said whilst pressing harder, she grabbed another gauze and ripped it open with her teeth and shoved it under the jacket, she then dialled athos's number. He didn't answer, she called again, again no answer. She then dialler Aramis he didn't answer, then Porthos and he didn't answer. Laura felt her hands start to shake and the familiar lump appear in her throat.

"Right' she said as she grabbed D'art's phone from his brief case and dialled athos' number. He answered.

"Athos, help please, D'art's been shot, I don't know why or who, outside our house, I've called the ambulance they are coming." She practically shouted it down the phone, the tears were running now and the blood was still pouring out of her husbands body.

She didn't know how long it took but Aramis and the guys arrived before the ambulance, Aramis came running down the street and slid down onto his knees beside her, he checked D'art's pulse, pupils and then removed her hands to check on the wound, he then grabbed a shot of adrenaline from his medical bag and jabbed it into D'art's thigh. Aramis then checked his pulse again and then took over from Laura on putting pressure on the wound. Laura then moved round to D'art's head and placed it in her lap, stroking his pale and clammy head, running her fingers through his hair.

Laura was pulled out of her panicked thoughts by Porthos tapping her on the shoulder, "Hey Laura where are the twins" he asked.

"The twins, oh goodness" Laura said, as she placed D'art's head on the floor and ran through the front door, Porthos and Athos closely behind her, she ran through the hall up the first flight of stairs, she swung round the banister and ran up the second flight of stairs, she burst into the spare room and called the twins to come out. Gabe slowly opened the door, with a tear streaked face and launched into her arms, Alex quickly followed, small hands clinging to her blood stained dress and sobbing into her strong embrace. Porthos then led the two boys out of the back gate and into the car Athos had brought around.

Laura then got up and spied the blue lights out front, she then slowly walked down through the house and into the drive, her hands were crimson and her red dress, was stained burgundy, her hair was messy and her face had tear tracks on it. As she walked onto the drive, D'art was being loaded onto the ambulance, Aramis was standing behind the ambulance, hands on his hips, head down.

"Aramis" she called, he turned around and gave her a sad smile. "You should go in the ambulance with him Laura" He said, he held out and hand and she took it. He helped her into the ambulance.

"We will meet you there okay" he said as he shut he door and banged on the door to let the ambulance go.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Athos was in a meeting when his phone buzzed. It was Laura, she never really called but this meeting was important so he pressed the 'x' and carried on listening to Treville speak. Aramis and Porthos both looked bored to death and Athos was pretty sure Aramis was going to fall asleep. His phone buzzed again, he ignored it. About halfway through the meeting Athos noticed that both Porthos and Aramis phones buzzed, they both ignored their phones but Athos could tell they both wanted an excuse to leave.

His phone buzzed again this time it was D'artganan. "Treville, can I take this, thanks" Athos asked as he got up and left the room.

"D'art, where are you, you're late. " he hissed down the phone. But it wasn't D'artganan it was Laura, practically shouting down the phone for him to come and help, because D'artganan had been shot and she didn't know what to do. Athos felt his stomach drop at the notion of D'art being shot outside his own house.

"Laura I'm coming" he said as he ran down the hall and burst into the meeting room. All eyes turned to him, "it's D'art" he said and ran back down the hall, quickly followed by Porthos and Aramis. They all got into his car and Athos was pretty sure he broke about three traffic laws in order to get to Laura and D'art.

As they approached the street, Aramis all but leapt out of the car and ran down the street, shouting for Porthos to bring his medical bag. Porthos quickly followed and left Athos to make his way down the street too. Nothing could have prepared Athos for the sight that met him as he rounded the corner onto the drive.

D'art lying in a growing, crimson pool of his own blood, his briefcase inches from his hand and his gun in the other, Laura holding D'art in her lap, with her hand pressed down hard on the wound in his bare chest, Aramis ripping a gauze out of his bag with his teeth and shoving it on the wound, Porthos frantically looking for the twins. Athos ran to help Aramis but he was told to go and search for the ambulance and then bring his car round the back of the house.

After the ambulance had left, and Porthos had taken the twins to Treville at the office where his wife would entertain them both, him and Aramis stood on the drive not knowing what to do.

"There was so much blood Athos, it was everywhere" Aramis said as he wiped a blood stained hand through his hair. Athos nodded and placed his hand on Aramis' shoulder.

"We should go, Laura will need us" He said as he went to call a cab.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Laura sat in the waiting room of the emergency department waiting for any news on D'art. She'd been waiting at least half a hour. Thirty minutes after she'd watched the love of her life, be resuscitated in the ambulance, thirty minutes since she'd seen and heard his heart stop, thirty minutes since she been pushed out of the way into a chair by a nurse. Thirty minutes in which nobody had come through the doors. Thirty minutes in which neither Aramis nor Athos nor Porthos had arrived. She had received a text from Treville saying that the twins were safe. That was one thing that calmed her nerves.

She bounced her knee when she was nervous, it was something that D'art really hated. But he never said anything he just politely put headphones in, or turned the other way. This time though she didn't bounce her knee, she just put her head in her hands and sobbed, that was all she could do. But she didn't cry for that long, only a few minutes whilst she let out all the anger and worry.

One hour, sixty minutes since d'art's heart had stopped, since she arrived. Sighing Laura stood up and leant her head against the wall, her red dress had stains of crimson all over it, her nails had crusted blood in the cuticle and her knees were stained red from where she'd knelt to try and staunch the bleeding.

Two hours since she had arrived, where was everyone? She sat back down, took a sip of her stone cold coffee and closed her eyes. Then a commotion caught her attention.

"He's my friend, he has dark hair, he's called Alexander D'artganan, please he was brought in with a gunshot wound to the upper left chest." The voice said. Laura got up and walked round to the reception desk where she found a very flustered looking Athos.

"Athos?" She called, his head turned and he rushed over to her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"How is he?, have you had any news?, is he dead? Please say he's not dead" Athos asked in about one breath. Laura smiled, "as far as I know he isn't dead" Laura said as she guided Athos to a seat. They both sat there for two more hours, eventually both Porthos and Aramis joined them and they all sat, hunched to a small bench in the hallway, waiting for any news on their friend, husband.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Laura had fallen asleep when at last the doctor came through the white doors. She was nudged awake by a very sharp elbow, she looked up through bleary eyes and saw the bright blue ones of the doctor. Standing up quickly she brushed her crusted dress down and cleared her throat.

"How is he?" She asked, her voice shaky. The doctor smiled and opened his clipboard. He read through the notes for a few seconds, turned a couple of pages, looked up and gave her a smile.

"Considering the immense trauma his body was put through, D'artganan will, given time make a full recovery. Your husband suffered a gunshot wound to his upper left chest. Luckily the bullet missed his heart, but it did puncture his left lung, and break three ribs. It then penetrated through muscle and up into the clavicle which it shattered, before exiting just above his left shoulder. Because there were two wounds, an entry and an exit, that was why there was a lot of blood. Your husband did lose a considerable amount of blood, and so we have him on multiple transfusions as well as fluids, and platelets. He needs rest, rehab for the broken clavicle and peace and quiet, his body has undergone colossal stress." The doctor explained

Laura felt like a huge weight had just fallen off her chest, "thank you so much doctor" she said as she kissed his hand, "can I see him now?" She asked. He nodded and motioned to the room just behind the white doors.

Laura turned and motioned for the others to follow her, she pushed the white doors open and walked through to the next door, she hesitated and then walked through. What she saw was heart breaking. D'art lay in the bed which was in the centre of the room, his chest bare, multiple wires were attached to his chest, arms and fingers. A huge bandage covered at east half of his chest, his left shoulder was strung up in a sling, he was unconscious but breathing. His skin was pale and clammy and his brown hair flopped across his forehead. Laura walked up to the bed, dragged a chair to the bed, sat down and took his hand in hers. She bent down and pressed her head to his hand and cried, animalistic sobs tore from her throat, she felt three hands squeeze her shoulders and offer silent support. She stayed there for a while until eventually she fell asleep, her head resting on the mattress.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

All D'art could feel was pain, pain in his shoulder, in his chest, and in his head. There was an annoying beeping that wouldn't go away, and he was cold. There was a pressure at his right hand, warm and soft. He could hear voices, muffled but there, a hand was caressing his cheek, and a softer gentler voice, was whispering in his ear, "open your eyes my love, I'm here". He tried but his eyelids felt like lead.

The voice was still there, urging him on, so he pried his eyes open and he was met with the face of Laura, her dark green eyes peering into his brown ones.

"Hey there" she said, he smiled and reached up his left hand to touch her hair, she smiled, moved away and then came back with a cup of ice chips.

"Here, have one, it will feel nice" She coaxed. He opened his mouth and she placed the spoon in. She then put the cup on the side table, and sat back down. He turned his head, to find Athos, Aramis and Porthos asleep on the couch on the wall by the bed, he smiled and went to sit up but was overcome with pain, he groaned and tried to turn away from the pain in his chest but it just increased and then alarms started to go off, he heard Laura, telling him to calm down and nurse rush in to give him more sedative. He tried to fight it off but the darkness engulfed him and he fell willingly into the darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

Laura stood by the window of D'art's hospital room. It was the only window in the room, one long rectangular shaped window that looked out into a square garden surrounded by the inner walls of hospital buildings. Three benches were placed around the garden and there was a selection of flowers and shrubs in the beds. It was okay, something to look at she supposed.

D'art was asleep, his eyes closed in a somewhat peaceful sleep, his hands had moved onto his stomach instead of being flat by his side. It was reassuring as it meant that he was no longer unconscious but in a natural sleep.

It was strange being a family member, receiving the news of her loved one, and not being the doctor, the one who gives the news, with a small smile and then moves on to the next patient. She watched as a young mother and her baby walked into the garden and sat on one of the benches, the woman started rocking the baby, singing to it, well that's what Laura assumed.

Her mind was everywhere, she hadn't been home yet, she couldn't bear going back, not to the place where her husband almost died, with her children inside. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the man walking down the street, marching towards her husband, pulling out his gun, shooting him, shooting at her, then running away. She just couldn't get his image out of her mind.

She'd given a statement to the police and to d'art's boss, captain treville, she had filled in the paperwork and she had called her mum to look after the twins. After all they couldn't stay with treville's wife for ever.

She turned around at a noise. It was Athos. He walked in holding two cups of coffee. He placed them on the shelf on the end of d'artganan's bed and she took one. Offering her thanks, she went back to the window, the young mother had gone, and she had been replaced by an elderly man crying.

"how is he?" athos asked from the other side of the room, he had placed himself in the chair in the corner o the room by the ensuite.

"he will be okay, he will need some physio but other than that just rest" she replied, she noted that her voice had no life, but she wasn't in the mood to do anything about it.

Athos must have caught onto her tone, because he placed his coffee on the table next to him and took out a book from his bag and began reading it.

"I can't get his image out of my head" she began as she watched a nurse come over to comfort the elderly man.

"that's understandable, it was traumatic seeing your husband shot on your front drive" athos replied, he was still reading but listening, nonetheless.

"not d'art, the man who shot him…I cannot get the image of him marching up our street out of my head" she said.

That got his attention, she heard him put the book down and stand up, Laura turned around, Athos was standing by the end of d'art's bed, his blue eyes wide and staring at her.

"can you picture him, what he was wearing, what he looked like, how tall he was" he said eagerly, almost like a child having just heard the most interesting thing ever.

"I think so, will I need to make a statement again" she asked. She was starting to breathe heavier; her heart was beating faster.

"no, you can tell me here, ill record you" he said. Laura nodded and turned back to the window. The elderly man was still there, but now he was on the phone, speaking to someone.

"he wore a hoody, I think it was black, the hood wasn't up, it was zipped up to his chin though. He held the gun in his left hand, which was in the front pocket up until he crossed the street. He had brownish hair, short almost bald. I didn't see his eyes, but he was tall. Tall and skinny. He had jeans on, and black trainers, they had a white stripe on the side. The gun wasn't very big, probably a pistol, I'm not sure really. He walked fast, big strides you know. He had a tattoo, yes, on his hand, the top of his gun hand, it was a circle with a diagonal line through it…. that's all I remember…sorry… I need some air" she said, as she grabbed her bag and stalked out of the room.

It was suffocating that room, and the more she talked about him, the more she began to feel lightheaded. She walked through the ward down the stairs and into the reception, she then walked out into the garden. She found the bench in the corner, and sat down, the wooden planks digging into her shoulder blades as she leant back and rested her head on the back of the bench. She felt a single rogue tear fall down her face, she leant forward and rested her face in her hands. She breathed out a long sigh, she was so tired.

Laura reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She pressed the home button to find a picture of her and d'art on the lock screen. She was leaning over his shoulders, her hair dangling over her face as she looked down to the camera, she was smiling and so we she, it was their honeymoon. She unlocked the phone and dialled her mum's number.

"Laura, is everything okay, is d'art okay, Laura? Her mum fired off as she answered the phone. "I'm fine mum…. yeah he will be fine…are the twins there…yes I'm eating…mum the boys please?" She asked. She heard her mum fuss around as she tried to locate her grandsons.

"Mumma, "they both said as they were passed over, "hello mi bambinos, dada is fine , a bit sore and tired but he will be okay, is it teatime, okay have a good sleep, night night, love you too." Laura said as a familiar lump formed in her throat.

"Laura are you there?" her mum asked.

"yeah…I. I'm here" Laura choked out.

"do you want be to say anything, or shall I just stay on the other side, while you cry" her mum asked, a small laugh came out of her, why did her mother know her so well.

"yes please" she said, she sounded like a child again.

And that was when Laura cried, she cried because of the man, because her husband was shot, because her boys were not with her, because she was scared, more scared than she had been when d'art was blown up in Iraq. Because this happened on her front drive, not in some war begotten country. And that was what scared her more than she could explain.

After she had cried and eventually told her mother to hang up and look after her grandsons, Laura wiped her face with her black roll neck sleeve, shoved her phone in her jean pocket and decided to go back to the room via the café.

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When Laura left the room, Athos stood rooted to the spot for quite a while. How the police officer that had interviewed Laura not managed to find out all that information was beyond his wildest dreams. He pressed stop on the recording and sent a quick text to treville with the audio recording, and a message explaining what he had asked Laura.

He then walked over to the window and there he saw Laura sat on a bench crying into her phone. He had no idea how she did it sometimes. When he got that call from Laura, he had never heard her so panicked in his life.

And after that it was all a blur, following the ambulance, the hospital, seeing Laura standing there covered in blood reminded him starkly of seeing his ex-wife standing there covered in his brother's blood.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Laura coming back into the room, but this time with Aramis and Porthos.

"I met them in reception" she said as she sat down by her husbands' bed and took his hand in hers.

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Laura sat by d'art's side for two hours, she counted the minutes. Aramis had busied himself reading d'art's chart, porthos was asleep, snoring loudly on the sofa and athos was reading his book. Laura played with his leather wrist band, she bought it for him when it was their one-year anniversary, he bought her some flowers and tickets to see her favourite band.

Laura turned her head as she heard footsteps coming towards the room, as she looked up, she saw Constance, sauntering down the ward corridor in her red heels and navy-blue suit. Her hair was bundled in a messy bun on her head and she had natural makeup on.

"get out, I don't want you here" she hissed as she shot up and walked round the front of d'art's bed to face the younger woman.

"he's my friend, I have every right to see him, just like they do" Constance said as she waved her arm at the three men, who had now all looked up from what they were doing.

"no, you don't, you have no right to saunter in here, like you know him, like you love him" Laura yelled.

"that's where you're wrong, I do know him, I knew him before you did, I was his first love, his first girlfriend, and I would have been his wife, if it wasn't for you." Constance hissed back.

Laura stood back like she'd been punched, "what do you mean, if it wasn't for me?" Laura said

"you, he cancelled a date with me, to go on his first date with you, because you were young, pretty, successful, rich. I was none of those things, but look at me now, I'm rich and successful, and you what are you, yummy mummy, who stays at home doting on her kids, whilst her husband risks his life every day." Constance yelled.

"you know what, just leave, before you wake him up.2 Laura said, she didn't care now, she wanted her out.

"I'm staying" Constance said

"get out, before I make you" Laura hissed as she took a step forward towards Constance.

"why, why do you want me out Laura, go on, tell me, WHY?" Constance shouted.

"because you kissed my husband!" Laura cried.

"I didn't" Constance said quietly.

"yes, yes you did, at our Halloween party, you kissed him outside, do not deny it, because I saw it, yes that's right, I saw it, and that night, he told me, that you kissed him, but it meant nothing, because he loved me and he was over you" Laura said, tears rolling down her face.

At that revelation, Constance, picked up her bag and stormed out the hospital room. Not once looking back.

"is it true, did she kiss him" Aramis asked.

"yes" Laura replied.

"did he tell you" Aramis pressed.

"mis" Porthos began, obviously sensing that Laura didn't want to talk about it.

"no. he didn't tell me" Laura sighed as she wiped the tears away and walked over to the wall, where she leant against it. She pulled her sleeves up round her fingers and crossed her arms. She sniffed and closed her eyes.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Porthos.

"I think you are in need of a hug, miss Laura" he said.

"she doesn't like hugs, porthos" came a voice from the bed, it was d'art he was easing himself up, with Aramis' help.

"she needs one, so shut up pup" porthos huffed.

Laura raised an eyebrow at the nickname 'pup'. But allowed herself to be pulled into Porthos' strong embrace.

After the hug, Laura sat with d'art for a while, then she decided she needed to go home, wash, have some food, get some proper sleep.

"I will be back tomorrow afternoon" Laura said as she blew a kiss to her husband, he pretended to catch it and then he held it against his heart. She smiled and waved as she left the hospital room.

She walked out of the building and into the hot French sun and walked towards her car.


End file.
